ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ

Α .Δ Ι .Π . ΑΡΧΗ ΔΙΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΗΣ & ΠΙΣΤΟΠΟΙΗΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΟΙΟΤΗΤΑΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΝΩΤΑΤΗ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗ

HELLENIC REPUBLIC

H .Q .A . HELLENIC QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ACCREDITATION AGENCY

EXTERNAL EVALUATION REPORT

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, ARCHEOLOGY AND CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

UNIVERSITY OF THE PELOPONNESE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

The External Evaluation Committee Introduction I. The External Evaluation Procedure II. The Internal Evaluation Procedure Α. Curriculum APPROACH IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS IMPROVEMENT B. Teaching APPROACH IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS IMPROVEMENT C. Research APPROACH IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS IMPROVEMENT D. All Other Services Collaboration with social, cultural and production organizations E. Strategic Planning, Perspectives for Improvement and Dealing with Potential Inhibiting Factors  Short-, medium- and long-term goals and plans of action proposed by the Department F. Final Conclusions and recommendations of the EEC on:

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External Evaluation Committee

The Committee responsible for the External Evaluation of the Department of History, Archeology and Cultural Resources Management of the University of the Peloponnese consisted of the following five (5) expert evaluators drawn from the Registry constituted by the HQA in accordance with Law 3374/2005:

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Professor Diamantis Panagiotopoulos (Coordinator) Director of the Institute of Classical Archaeology, University of Heidelberg

2. Professor Belinda Colston School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln

3. Professor Mike Edwards Department of Humanities, University of Roehampton

4. Professor Gilles Grivaud Director of the Department of History, University of Rouen

5. Professor Paolo Odorico Directeur d'études École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris

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4 N.B. The structure of the “Template” proposed for the External Evaluation Report mirrors the requirements of Law 3374/2005 and corresponds overall to the structure of the Internal Evaluation Report submitted by the Department. The length of text in each box is free. Questions included in each box are not exclusive nor should they always be answered separately; they are meant to provide a general outline of matters that should be addressed by the Committee when formulating its comments.

Introduction I. The External Evaluation Procedure The External Evaluation Committee (EEC) began its work by attending a briefing at the offices of the HQAA on 17 February 2014 at 09:30. The EEC initially met to determine a strategy for its visit to the Department of History, Archaeology and Cultural Resources Management at the University of the Peloponnese, at Kalamata. At 14:00, the EEC met with the Vice-Rectors of the University, Professor Georgios Andriomenos, and Professor Konstantina Botsiou at the offices of the University in Marousi. The EEC received information concerning the structure of the University and its two Departments at Kalamata, the Department of History, Archaeology and Cultural Resources Management, and the Department of Philology, as well as the five separate campuses of the University in the Peloponnese. The Vice-Rectors briefed the EEC on the two Departments at Kalamata, suggesting that they would benefit administratively and academically from a merger. At 15:00, the EEC transferred to Kalamata, where it was greeted at 18:00 by the Head of Department, Professor Alexios Savvides. At 18:30, the EEC made its first visit to the Department, for preliminary meetings with the Dean, Professor Evridiki Antzoulatou Retsila, and the academic staff. The EEC then attended a PowerPoint presentation by the Department, which was followed by further discussions. On 18 February 2014 from 09:30, the EEC met members of the academic staff from diverse disciplines, such as Byzantine History, Archaeology, Cultural Resources Management, History of Civilization, Modern History, Folk Studies, Latin Philology, including the Director and research students of the Archaeometry Laboratory and the Head of the Maritime Archaeology Laboratory. At 17:00, at the request of the EEC, a second meeting took place with the entire teaching staff in the presence of the Dean. On 19 February 2014, at 09.45, the EEC met six student representatives, and a particularly fruitful discussion ensued. Subsequently, the EEC visited the library and its proposed future location, classrooms and the main lecture hall. At 12:30, the EEC met the three members of the administrative staff, to acquaint itself with the Department's bureaucratic organisation and management systems. At 15:30, the EEC returned to Athens.

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II. The Internal Evaluation Procedure During the visit to Kalamata, the EEC was afforded access to all requisite documentation, including the Internal Evaluation Report, the course handbook, the curricula vitae of all academic staff, the library guide, the guide to the Laboratory of Archaeometry, the summer term programme for 2014, a list of students enrolled on the PhD programme, and a description of the administrative structure. All documents were provided in both hard copy and electronic format. The EEC read all documents provided by the Department and inspected its research publications. The reception of the EEC by the Department was excellent, and the staff and students were particularly cooperative and willing to engage with the evaluation procedure by putting at the EEC’s disposal all materials requested. Staff and students freely answered questions, and were prepared to highlight the strengths but also the weaknesses of the Department. The timetable for the evaluation visit precluded an inspection of the Research Institute of Byzantine Culture at Mystras. The Internal Evaluation Report is extensive, however it seemed to the EEC to correspond more to an exercise in administrative rhetoric than to a collective effort of reflection on the state of the Department, with conscious acknowledgment of its strengths and weaknesses. This was subsequently highlighted by differences of opinion among the staff on the state of the Department. The EEC found that on some particularly sensitive issues, such as a merger with the Department of Philology, there had not been any prior discussions, making it difficult for the EEC fully to understand the opinions of the staff members. Consequently, the strengths of some teams became apparent to the EEC only during the visit. In these circumstances, the EEC has compiled its report primarily on the basis of discussions with the staff and students, using the internal report as technical documentation. The impression of the EEC is that the Department needs to devote more attention to the formulation of collective goals for improvements.

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Α. Curriculum APPROACH The curriculum aims to fulfil the Department’s mission, as established in Presidential Decree 118 (24 April 2003) and re-stated in the Department’s Internal Evaluation Report, a) to cultivate and promote knowledge in history, archaeology and cultural resources management, with particular emphasis on the scholarly development regarding the fields of Greek and European history, epigraphy, maritime archaeology, as well as monuments management and museology; b) to provide its students with all necessary assets to gain an adequate command of their field for their future scholarly and professional career; c) to organize postgraduate courses leading to well-prepared scholars with specialized topics offered by the Department; and d) to contribute to the development of cultural studies in conjunction with modern trends in the management of cultural resources as well as with the utilization of modern technology. The plan for achieving these goals is, essentially, twofold. First, to offer an innovative undergraduate curriculum that combines study of central subject-areas in history and archaeology with new subjects such as, in particular, cultural resources management and archaeometry. Second, to offer postgraduate courses in areas of expertise covered by the staff of the Department, such as cultural resources management and Byzantine studies in conjunction with the Research Institute of Byzantine Culture at Mystras. Much of the curriculum was inherited from the time of the foundation of the Department, though it was revised in spring 2008. The content of the curriculum is discussed annually in a meeting of the Department’s General Assembly, which includes student representation. It is the unanimous opinion of the EEC that the undergraduate curriculum offered by the Department is consistent with these objectives, and in addition that they have been developed with the needs of local community stakeholders in mind, as is evidenced by the organization of events that are addressed to the wider public. The provision of postgraduate courses is still at the planning stage.

IMPLEMENTATION The curriculum is attractive to students, especially through the inclusion of the component in Cultural Resources Management. The Department is leading the way in the study and

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7 development of this new scientific field, and this is to be welcomed and supported. The remainder of the curriculum is of a very high quality and meets the standards of programmes in history and archaeology that are within the experience of members of the EEC. Appropriate course materials are employed, and there is in general sufficient time for the students to study and assimilate the subjects they are taking, though the students identified to the EEC some timetabling issues that in some cases result in an uneven spread of hours across the days of the week. The permanent staff of the Department are generally of a high quality, with appropriate qualifications; they are dedicated and focussed on providing a high-quality educational experience for their students. Within the confines of current budgetary restrictions, coupled with the relatively recent foundation of the Department, library and computing resources are adequate, though the EEC, in consultation with the students and Librarian, identified some resource issues, including a lack of seating in the library (which will be alleviated by the new library space) and limited access to some areas of material, in particular on-line history and archaeology periodicals. The EEC further identified some weaknesses in the curriculum, particularly in historical periods such as ancient history, art history, social anthropology, and areas of post-medieval and pre-contemporary history. The students feel strongly that some subjects, including philology, are over-represented, at the expense of courses in, for example, archaeology. The Department’s General Assembly has already taken steps to address this issue by recommending the advertisement of a new post at assistant professor level in the ‘History of Latin and Early Ottoman domination period. This raises a more general point, which is one of the most pressing issues identified by the EEC during its external evaluation. There is no question that the current curriculum effectively achieves the basic aims of the Department. In overall terms its structure is rational, and it has a coherence and functionality that result in an intellectually challenging and diverse programme of study for the students. The EEC feels, however, that to some extent the coverage of the programme has been dictated more by the research expertise of the staff than by an objective assessment of what knowledge and skills a graduate in History/Archaeology and Cultural Resources Management should have acquired. It is abundantly clear to the EEC that there is a need and desire among members of the Department for a detailed review of the curriculum, with regard to both the short- and medium-term requirements of a dynamic and attractive curriculum, and the number of courses offered. There are currently 57 courses, and this figure is felt by both staff and

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8 students to be too high for the level of staffing that is available now and will be available for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, the teaching load will be increased by the introduction of graduate courses, without any immediate possibility of extra permanent staff members.

RESULTS

In the unanimous opinion of the EEC the Department is effectively fulfilling its goals and objectives with regard to the curriculum, offering a unique combination of undergraduate studies with which there is a high level of satisfaction among the students. The Department is doing an excellent job under challenging circumstances and deserves full support by the University.

IMPROVEMENT There are areas of the curriculum that would benefit from development, thereby enhancing the student experience and increasing the reputation of the Department. The EEC is confident that the Department is open to change and will welcome the following suggestions. These centre on the number and range of courses: a) the EEC recommends that the Department undertake an open and thorough review of its undergraduate curriculum, with a view to reducing the number of obligatory courses from 57 to around 48. This will enhance the working experience of the staff, freeing up time for research, and the learning experience of the students, offering a more focussed programme of study which may in turn lead to greater student participation. It will also bring the Department into line with European accreditation standards. b) the EEC also recommends that the Department review the range of provision within the curriculum, strengthening areas such as ancient history, art history, social anthropology and maritime archaeology, which are currently underrepresented. One way to achieve the ancient history side of this recommendation would be closer collaboration of the Department with the Department of Philology, drawing on the expertise of its members and offering courses taken jointly by students of each department. The Department might also consider team teaching of courses with broader subject coverage as a means of reducing the teaching load. c) the EEC supports, in line with the mission of the Department, the introduction of graduate level taught programmes in the subject areas covered by the Department, specifically Cultural Resources Management, Byzantine studies, and Archaeometry. A thriving graduate programme may in turn lead to increased numbers of PhD students, which could generate additional funding for the Department.

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B. Teaching APPROACH Its small size and renovated buildings provide good general conditions for the Department's teaching activities. The teaching methods employed are the traditional ones for each discipline: - Education in History is based on a deep knowledge of chronology, sources (written sources and archaeological findings) and an overview of historiography for each period. The educational progression is clear, with introductory courses in the first year followed by more specialized courses in subsequent years. Most historical periods are covered, from prehistory to the archaic period, and from medieval Byzantine and the medieval West to modern and contemporary periods, including some specialization in the history of the Peloponnese. - Education in Archaeology starts with the necessary epistemological requirements and theoretical approaches, whilst the acquisition of special technical skills is developed during the following semesters. - Education in Cultural Resources Management is based on a general approach to the different aspects of the topic, and then on specialized lessons related to the theory of cultural management and its practical implementation. It was not possible for the EEC to investigate the teaching methods of the members of the Department of Philology, who deliver a number of courses for the Department. For example, do they adapt their teaching methods to the needs and experience of the history/archaeology students, and if so how? Some members of the Department explained that when teaching philology students, they do adapt their course content to the programme of studies the students are following. The staff/student ratio seems problematic at 1:50. It reveals the need for recruitment in order to reinforce the teaching staff, especially as some of its members will retire in the next few years. The collaboration between teachers and students does not seem particularly active, despite the fact that the students have a representative in the General Assembly of the Department, which holds meetings once a month. As the University is a relatively new institution, its buildings and classrooms in Kalamata are

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10 in excellent condition, and they are well equipped with audiovisual aids (projectors, screens, PCs, internet). Everything has been designed from the outset to improve efficiency, and the use of information technologies is widespread, especially in the teaching of Cultural Resources Management. The assessment system seems traditional, with coursework elements and terminal exams.

IMPLEMENTATION In view of the variety of disciplines taught across the Department, it has not been possible for the EEC to investigate fully how teaching procedures are organized. No general teaching policy is evident. There appears to be a traditional lecture-based approach to teaching, which is explicable in part by the lack of specialist teachers in certain fields (ancient history, art history, social anthropology). When teaching their specialities, staff members use up-to-date material and technology. This is particularly evident in the archaeology courses, as all the archaeologists lead or participate in excavations in Messenia or elsewhere in the Peloponnese, Ionian islands and Crete. It is also true for the courses on Byzantine written sources, numismatics and sigillography, and for those on local Cultural Resources Management. The link with research is particularly effective in some highly specialized seminars, such as archaeometry, cultural resources and new technologies, pottery, numismatics, and field archaeology. There has been limited mobility amongst the academic staff, which can be attributed to the energy they have invested in ensuring the successful establishment of the new Department. At this stage of the Department's development, and in the context of the current economic crisis, the main priority of the staff continues to be the delivery of the initial programme of studies. Consequently, it has been difficult for them to develop national and international links to support mobility, except on an individual basis through existing collaborations. Similarly, Erasmus programmes have not been fully developed, with only very limited exchange of students between Kalamata and its partners in the UK and Turkey. Most of the students appreciate the course content and are fully aware that, apart from their main choice of history or archaeology, the specialization in their final year of study on Cultural Resources Management is a unique advantage in the context of Greek higher education. The students do not in general direct complaints at the teaching methods employed in the Department, but on the high number of courses they are required to follow. They expressed a desire for greater choice and fewer compulsory courses with philological content.

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RESULTS In order to appreciate the efficacy of teaching, more up-to-date statistical data are required than those provided, in particular with regard to rates of success/failure of students and graduate employment. The EEC was surprised by the fact that the teaching staff consider that whilst some students abandon their studies after the first or second year, the majority of students complete their studies at their own pace, whereas the students themselves claim that more than half of those registered abandon their studies. Official statistics provided to the EEC indicate that more than one-third of students (254 out of 745) fail to complete their studies in the standard 4-year period, but it is unclear from the statistics how many students leave the University without a diploma. It should be noted, however, that the high quality of teaching at Kalamata is reflected in the acceptance of students onto graduate courses in a number of other Greek universities, and the staff are to be commended for this. The EEC was pleased to learn that all courses are evaluated by student questionnaires. It was, however, concerned to hear that these evaluations are not routinely made available to the teaching staff.

IMPROVEMENT The Department is faced by many problems in the current economic climate. It is faced with the prospect of maintaining a high number of courses with a reduced teaching staff, and will need to collaborate with the Department of Philology in order to fulfil the longstanding teaching programme. Some courses offered by the Cultural Resources Management team have already been merged for this reason. The economic crisis, together with the fact that most of the teaching staff live in Athens, impedes the development of more innovative and interactive methods of teaching. There is an evident lack of consultation on such matters, which is understandable in this peculiar climate, but it is not evident to the EEC that the Department's leadership is fully conscious of these problems. Fortunately, the relatively small size of the student body clearly aids communication between the academic staff and their students.

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C. Research APPROACH Initial development of research has involved the foundation of research centres, aimed at focussing the research activities of staff across the Department. It is hoped that these centres, once developed, will play a key role in the educational and research needs of the Department, contributing significantly to the fields in both national and international arenas. There are currently four research centres defined, either already existing or designed: ◦ Research Institute of Byzantine Culture at Mystras; ◦ Laboratory of Archaeometry; ◦ Laboratory of Maritime Archaeology; ◦ Laboratory of Archaeology. The future development of these centres will be facilitated by promoting research widely (through publications and the organisation of international symposia), establishing key collaborations at both national and international levels, building postgraduate research communities, and introducing specialized postgraduate taught programmes. The research being undertaken within the Department is currently evaluated through its research output. Quality is determined through external reviews of published books, and the research expertise of the staff is reflected by their involvement in national and international collaborations, including conferences and excavations.

IMPLEMENTATION The Department is relatively new and is in the process of establishing its research infrastructure. The EEC, however, was not made aware of any long-term strategy or the existence of any implementation plan at a Departmental level to facilitate future developments. Discussions with three of the four research centres (Archaeometry, Archaeology and Maritime Archaeology) demonstrated that planning and implementation is occurring at a more local level. This is to be commended, but such plans and initiatives need to form part of a larger research framework and strategy within the Department. For example, the formation of a Research Committee could provide a mechanism to support and develop research at a

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13 Departmental level. Although research is clearly an important activity to the staff within the Department, it is apparent that their workloads (teaching and administrative duties) do not always provide them with sufficient opportunity to fulfil their research potential. In view of the Departmental objectives to expand postgraduate provision through the introduction of specialized Masters programmes, it would be beneficial to develop a staff workload model to balance activities across teaching, research and administration. These considerations should ideally form part of the wider vision of the Department. Support for research is available through the provision of funds to participate in conferences and international meetings. The Department has allocated part of its annual budget to this activity, although it is not clear how these funds are distributed, or whether they are used strategically to develop specific areas or to support younger staff. The support and development of younger staff is seen as being critical to the Department achieving its objectives in research. Provision of a mentoring system and a professional development planning framework would help fulfil the research potential of all staff, particularly the younger members, who are key to the future of the Department. This level of support and guidance is currently not evident within the Department, but is strongly recommended. It is clear from the research outputs that staff are active in their respective research disciplines. Staff are clearly engaged in a range of research projects at both national and international levels, and effective collaborations are being developed.

RESULTS The levels of achievement in research objectives vary across the Department, due mainly to the different stages of implementation. The Research Centre of Byzantine Culture was founded in 2007, and encompasses both the Department of History, Archaeology and Cultural Resources Management and the Department of Philology. This is potentially a rich source of research outputs for the Department and a platform for raising its visibility, but it is not being exploited to its full potential. The fact that it is located in Mystras and its director is no longer a member of the Department appears to impede its full integration into the Department's research and teaching agenda. However, it should be noted that the Centre has organised two international symposia, and the proceedings of one of these are in the final stages of publication. This publication will be the first in a new monograph series published by the Centre, with contributions from three members of the Department. The Laboratory of Archaeometry is excellently arranged and equipped. The laboratory

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14 facilities are good, and essential equipment is in place (for example SEM-EDX, XRF and Raman). The laboratory has made significant and excellent progress in establishing itself as a successful research centre. It displays an impressive range of research activities through national and international cooperations, which include field projects, the organization of conferences and further activities that foster a closer and productive cooperation with the SCP sectors. International research collaborations have led to significant research funding and co-investigation in a number of prestigious EU research programmes. The Internal Evaluation Report indicates that the laboratory has contributed significantly to the research programmes of the Department, providing 3 out of 5 large-scale international projects. Research publications from the laboratory are both prolific and high quality, and involvement in professional activities, such as international conference organising committees, and journal editorial committees provides a sound international platform and external visibility. Additional professional activities in service provision (e.g. consultancies) establish a reputation and provide funds to support further development. The Laboratory of Archaeometry, which has a strategy in place for further growth, provides the Department with a good model for supporting the development of other research centres. It is well embedded into the teaching programme, giving the students the opportunity to acquire basic knowledge of the potential of archaeometric techniques for study of the past. The Laboratory of Maritime Archaeology has a good strategy in place for development and is in an excellent position to benefit from its geographical location in Messenia. It has recently been supplied with modern equipment, but has not yet been set up. This should be one of the Department’s top priorities in the near future. When the laboratory has been installed, the existence of two laboratories serving both research and teaching activities will be a unique feature that will significantly enhance the Department’s specific profile. The Laboratory of Archaeology is currently being developed. Collaborative research of the archaeologists with both Archaeometry and Maritime Archaeology has led to participation in a number of EU projects. The staff are extremely enthusiastic and have the potential to develop a successful research unit.

IMPROVEMENT The Department has expressed the intention to improve its research through broadening international collaborations, which is ongoing and evidenced in the active research centres. Recommendations In the unanimous opinion of the EEC, it is vital to have a framework for research embedded within the Department. The EEC therefore recommends the establishment of a Research

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15 Committee, with broad representation from its various research communities. The EEC further encourages greater collaboration between staff, and suggests the formation of a n e w research institute combining the laboratories of Archaeometry, A rchaeology and Maritime A rchaeology to provide critical mass for future development. The Department would benefit from a higher level of support by the central University, which could, for example, offer administrative support for major funding applications

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D. All Other Services The Department appears to be well organized and functioning efficiently despite the exigencies of the present situation. Administrative procedures and internal coordination are rational and effective. Electronic procedures for administrative staff, academic staff and students are in place; these are satisfactory, though the EEC has identified areas for improvement (see below). The Department’s administrative services consist of one technical staff member and two secretaries. The fields of responsibility between these three employees are divided in a rational and flexible way. The general impression of the EEC was that this small and devoted team works highly effectively, meeting the diverse demands of staff and students. Their main tasks involve all matters concerning the students (enrolment, attestations, credentials, certificates), the coordination of the programme of studies in cooperation with the teaching staff, and the management of all expenses as the local branch of the University’s central administration. Despite the heavy workload, all three members of the administrative staff fulfil their task very efficiently, which contributes substantially to the well-being of the Department. They are, however, working at maximum capacity. The Department shares its library facilities with the Department of Philology. The library consists of ca. 22,000 volumes, and is well run and appears to be adequately utilized by students. Its main problem is the lack of space, since the existing seating can accommodate only 10 to 12 students at any one time. The library is scheduled to relocate to a much larger space within the same building, providing not only ample space for bookshelves but also several reading rooms ideal for the requirements of a library. Even if its impending relocation requires strong financial support, the EEC urges the Departments and the Dean to implement this initiative as soon as possible. A rapid relocation, even without new shelving, would alleviate one of the students’ pressing problems, that they currently cannot make adequate use of the library due to its limited space. An extension of the library's opening hours would be further desirable. This step cannot be taken, however, without increasing the library staffing, a measure which due to the current financial crisis appears to be unrealisable unless private funding can be secured. The purchase of e-materials would improve provision in some fields which are understandably deficient in the library of a new department. However, subscriptions to printed journals are currently very limited, and the subscription to online databases such as JStor has been suspended. One of the University's highest priorities should be the renewal of these subscriptions.

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17 The EEC recommends that there be a greater investment from the Departmental budget in ebooks and other core texts, since the current provision is in urgent need of improvement. The level of IT and communication technologies can be judged as satisfactory. The members of the teaching staff exploit the potential of communication technologies both in teaching (eclass) and in exam marking (by use of electronic marksheets). The implementation of this effective system for recording the examination results with the active participation of the teaching staff has significantly reduced the workload of the secretaries. The IT specialist, whom the EEC could not meet, jointly services the two Departments. The teaching rooms and the Laboratory of Archaeometry are sufficiently equipped, but there are insufficient computer terminals in the library. The Department is interconnected with the Centre of Technology and Telecommunication Facilities of the University of the Peloponnese. The members of the administrative staff use the Centre’s website to access the electronic services they require, but access is often impeded because the link is slow, particularly at peak times. It would be advisable for the University to improve the IT services, which could be accomplished with only modest investment. The students complain that the computer laboratory is inadequate to cover their needs, while newly acquired PCs have not yet been installed. A fully functioning WiFi service is available on the campus in both Departments. The Department’s excellent facilities (partly shared with the Department of Philology) are one of its main assets. All buildings are located within an attractive campus, which was formerly a military camp, and have been refurbished and equipped in a very rational and modern way. The central lecture hall and the classrooms fully meet the standards of a modern European university. The basic maintenance of these facilities appears to be very good. The students very much appreciate the advantages of this spatial arrangement and are determined to keep the campus in a good state of repair, and they drew the EEC's attention to the absence of graffiti and flyposting of political propaganda. There can be no doubt that the excellent facilities and the pleasant atmosphere of the campus are attractive to the students. Their experience would be further enhanced if a minimal amount of money were regularly spent on the upkeep of the external communal areas. The food in the students’ cafeteria, which is located on the campus, is good and the personnel very friendly. The only major problem reported by the students is the lack of a hall of residence. There is one dormitory for students in Kalamata, but this is reserved for students of the local Technical University for reasons which were not apparent to the EEC. This situation must be addressed. The general impression of the EEC is that the quality and effectiveness of services provided by the Department are good. The two main problems are the present situation of the library and the lack of a student hall of residence. The second problem is outside the Department’s jurisdiction, but the first could be solved by the rapid relocation of the library to its new

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18 rooms, even if in a temporary state awaiting adequate funding for the completion of this work. Furthermore, the acquisition of timetable planning software for the coordination of the undergraduate curriculum would greatly facilitate the work of the secretariat, since the current procedure (a manually compiled timetable) is extremely time-consuming.

Collaboration with social, cultural and production organizations Several staff members and the Laboratory of Archaeometry pursue numerous initiatives that foster a closer cooperation with social, cultural and production organizations in the region of Kalamata and beyond. These initiatives, which include international conferences, guided tours and other events, and in addition the close connections of the staff with public and private bodies in Messenia, significantly increase the visibility and acceptance of the Department within the local society. Members of the Department have already been active in attracting private funding for supporting their activities. This opportunity for financial support should be further exploited in a more intense and systematic way in the future.

E. Strategic Planning, Perspectives for Improvement and Dealing with Potential Inhibiting Factors

INHIBITING FACTORS At state level, the financial crisis has obvious pointed consequences for the economics of the Department. The main concern is with the appointment of replacement teaching staff, since several retirements will occur in the next few years. If these positions are not filled, the Byzantine section, for instance, will be severely weakened and the viability of the Research Institute of Byzantine Culture at Mystras threatened. In addition, new positions are requested for the Cultural Resources Management section, which is unique in the context of Greek universities. Furthermore, this young Department should be consolidated with the provision of new

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19 positions in ancient history, art history, maritime archaeology and social anthropology. It makes no sense to open a Department if it is not then given the means to grow and fulfil the mission determined for it by Presidential Decree 118, dated 24 April 2003. The Department’s General Assembly has already taken the decision that the next posts to be advertised will be in the areas of Ancient History and Maritime Archaeology. At University level, the dispersal of the Schools in five cities is a major concern, resulting in problems of relations between them. For example, authorization of expenditure requires time and effort, as all financial matters are administered centrally in Tripoli. Under these circumstances, it is impossible to share courses with, for example, the Departments at Corinth and Nauplion, as would be the case on a unitary campus. The commitment of the University to the library in Kalamata is another urgent request, since the library cannot fulfil its function. This particular point needs speedy resolution, as the new reading rooms are ready for opening and provide enough space for the students. The University should also support the library's acquisition policy with additional funding for textbooks and subscriptions to online collections. There is a need for the University to address the lack of student accommodation in Kalamata. It should be noted that the Internal Evaluation procedure should be revised to include an indepth analysis of the Department’s strengths and weaknesses. New and up-to-date statistical data should be provided to facilitate heightened awareness of the effectiveness of the Department's teaching and research strategies. At departmental level, potential areas for development are clear, but need to be better articulated by the Department’s management. The EEC recommends the institution of dedicated research and teaching committees, in order to plan and coordinate the Department’s policies. The EEC recommends that the academic staff as a whole should be consulted on important issues such as the future of the Research Institute for Byzantine Culture and the Laboratory of Maritime Archaeology. The EEC also recommends that the student community be consulted on all matters related to the curriculum, teaching procedures and facilities; student comments in their course evaluations should be taken into consideration. SHORT-, MEDIUM- AND LONG-TERM GOALS Despite the fact that the staff members have not agreed on a common strategy in terms of teaching and research, the Department pursues a series of goals relating to both fields. In teaching, the most important goal is the restructuring of the undergraduate studies

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20 programme, which is eagerly awaited by both staff and students. The extremely difficult task of reducing the number of courses and at the same time preserving the current broad and multi-faceted curriculum can be accomplished only by a well thought-out strategy based on redefining the programme. This process would furthermore allow the undergraduate studies programme to meet European requirements. A further goal relating to teaching is the launching of postgraduate programmes of study in areas such as Cultural Resources Management, Byzantine Studies and Archaeometry. In terms of research, one of the primary goals is the establishment of national and international cooperations, as well as the setting up of the Maritime Archaeology and Archaeology laboratories. The research strategy and objectives of the Laboratory of Maritime Archaeology have been defined according to a compelling concept which emphasises not only the sea but also coastal areas, where the multi-levelled interaction between the terrestrial and the maritime element can be fully explored. Nevertheless, it is crucial for the laboratory’s future development to employ a specialist in marine archaeology (on either a permanent or temporary basis) who will be able to provide instruction in diving techniques. This would enhance the laboratory’s significance and contribute to the Department’s unique profile in teaching and research. PLAN AND ACTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT The Department has already made some significant steps towards achieving the aforementioned goals. There is already a plan for the restructuring of the undergraduate programme of studies, and an appreciation of the need to reduce the number of courses. The problem with the library space will be solved following its relocation. LONG-TERM ACTIONS PROPOSED BY THE DEPARTMENT The EEC found it difficult to make comments on this aspect, because the Department, as already mentioned, currently has no clearly articulated strategic plan. This does not mean, however, that the staff do not have ambitious individual plans for research or ideas about how to improve their teaching. What the EEC could not detect is a common strategy for the future shared by all staff members. It would be advantageous for the Department to take account of these individual and very sensible initiatives and opinions, and to develop them into a common action plan from which all would benefit. Key aspects here are the fostering of international cooperations with universities and other partners, and the conception of a framework for research activities suited to the Department’s specific profile. The Research Institute of Byzantine Culture at Mystras, and the Archaeometry and Maritime Archaeology laboratories, could provide important platforms for linking the Department with other national and international institutions and enhancing its visibility as a centre of high-level teaching and research.

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F. Final Conclusions and recommendations of the EEC For each particular matter, please distinguish between under- and post-graduate level, if necessary. The Department of History, Archaeology and Cultural Resources Management operates within the framework of current Greek legislation for higher education and within the realities of Greek society. As compared with similar departments in other Greek universities, it has a unique profile. The combination of the traditional disciplines of History and Archaeology with the new scientific field of Cultural Resources Management is its main asset, which is greatly appreciated by both staff and students. A research centre, and the one existing and two planned laboratories, enhance the Department’s significance and visibility. However, there are several inhibiting factors which prevent the Department from fully exploiting its potential and advantages. Leaving aside the state and institutional factors, which have been mentioned above, the EEC regards as the main threat to the Department’s future security and development the anticipated reduction in the level of staffing due to the retirement of several members in the coming years. This danger and budgetary uncertainties could undermine any attempt by the Department to retain its specific character und fulfil its aims in research and teaching.

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The Members of the Committee Name and Surname

1.

Prof Diamantis Panagiotopoulos

2. Prof Belinda Colston 3. Prof Mike Edwards 4. Prof Gilles Grivaud 5. Prof Paolo Odorico

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Signature